Saturday Photo: Japense Maples and Russian Olives
The air right now is heavy with the smell of Russian olives. Not olives, but certainly a native of the Russians steppes, these hardy trees are considered a nuisance in…
Mary Soderstrom
Location, Location, Location: the Story Behind Montreal’s Mega Hospitals and the Future of Mount Royal
An extremely important conference is being held today on the future of Mount Royal–but it may be too late. In a couple of years, four health establishments on the flanks…
KFC Goes to Mongolia
I just read a really intersting travel book In Search of Geghis Khan by Tim Severin. In it, he recounts his attempt to ride with Mongolians from Ulaan Bataar west…
Warning: Polls May Be Hazardous to Your Health
Pollsters have been insisting that even though fewer people can be reached by telephone today, polling still is a valid way of predicting electoral outcomes. They’ve turned to elelctronic polling…
Plant a Tree for $25 Until June 15
Trees are great. Not only do they provide a feast for the eye and shade for the body, they absorb carbon dioxide. You might say they are nature’s CO2 sequestering…
Sounds of Summer: Crickets and Night Hawks
While walking in Mount Royal Cemetery on Saturday I was surprised and delighted to here a cricket. Usually they come later in the season, but perhaps the very warm weather…
Saturday Photo: June Flowers are Here!
I’m not a systematic gardener, I don’t keep notes about what blooms when or even a list of what I need to get for next year. But I do know…
Plumber-time and the Living is Not So Easy
Well, the kitchen sink was making burping noises but wasn’t backed up. My favourite economist/ébèniste wanted to make sure there wasn’t a disaster in the making though. So he took…
Three Good Bearded White Men: Reflections on Feisty Resemblances
Crusading Canadian writer and translator Wayne Grady has a story about trying to talk Dr. Henry Morgentaler into giving him an extended interview for a magazine article. The good doctor,…
Why Curious George Starts in Paris and Ends in New York
Reading and the love of books can’t encouraged too soon. The Curious George books by H.A. and Margaret Rey were great favourites of our kids and Jeanne has delighted in…
Ray Charles on the Way We Should Behave
Lots and lots of depressing news coming when the world in this part of the world is ablaze with luminous greens. How about this for an anthem? When it comes…
Oh Come on, Not That Equality Party Business Again!
It seems that a few unhappy Anglophones are trying to whip things up again by starting a new Equality party, version 2.0. A rally was held on the weekend in…
Saturday Photo: More than 6000 Signaturs, and the Garden Backs Down
Montreal’s Jardin botanique, as I’ve been saying here recently, is one of the loveliest places around. Evenn this morning, with a steady rain falling, Jeanne would have spent the whole…
Washing Windows, Waxing Floor: Garbage Work Thad Must Be Done
I’ve put it off long enough–got to do some cleaning today. No time for any reflections other than to say that the kitchen floor is awfully dirty. Since Thomas is…
Excitement about Riding Your Bike: The View from New York
I’ve mentioned before how I don’t ride bikes, but I must admit I like the idea of people riding all over the city. Yesterday I walked from our place to…
Cool Water: Excuse Me While I Go Boil Some Water
Today is the first day I’ve ever had to boil water. Every summer there are warnings for communities in the hinterland that the supply is low, or there’s been a…
Behind the Scenes: Let’s Hear It for the Nursing Staff!
One of the things I’ve been doing for years is volunteer for a three hour shift once a week at a local children’s hospital. I rock babies, play with toddlers,…
Today’s a Holiday with a Good Name: La Journée des Patriotes
What’s this nonsense of starting a petition to change the May holiday from Victoria Day/the Queen’s Birthday to include reference to First Nations? I can readily understand renaming the third…
Saturday Photo: More from the Jardin botanique
Marie Victorin was a Roman Catholic teaching brother and naturalist who championed access to nature for all. He was the driving force behind the establishment of Montreal’s lovely Jardin botanique…
Opposition Growing to HIke in Jardin botanique Admissioin Fess
As of 2:18 p.m., 2,957 people had signed the petition protesting the hikes in entrance fees to Montreal’s botanical garden. Here’s the link: now sign!!!